When no one was
by lady-me-elora
Summary: Tatsuki was out of town and had Ichigo look after Orihime for a day. On a very special day.


That day of the year has come. Inoue Sora's anniversary. Tatsuki has always stayed with Orihime on this day, because she knows. She knows how much Orihime tries to hold everything in and she didn't want her to bear it on her own. Every year. On that one day. Orihime would be at her most vulnerable. But this year it was different. Tatsuki-chan couldn't stay with her because she had an important competition which she had dreamt of going since she was a kid. She wanted to cancel the whole thing but Orihime would hate her for doing so. Tatsuki had no other choice but to call her nakama. Hime's crush. Tatsuki-chan called the Kurosaki residence.

"Hello Kurosaki residence" greeted Yuzu.

"Aah Yuzu chan? Can i speak to Ichigo?"

"just a sec~Oniiichaaan~ "

Ichigo walked slowly down the stairs curious of what his sister might need only to see her holding the phone towards him. He took the phone and Tatsuki starts talking.

"Yo ichigo. I need a favour"

Ichigo raised a brow " what is it? "

" can you help me babysit a certain someone tomorrow? "

" Tatsuki if it's about your lil baby bro again then I'll have to.."

Tatsuki didn't let him finish. " It's Hime. "

" What's wrong with her? " Ichigo raised another brow.

Tatsuki looked at her cell and continued. " It's her brother's anniversary but yeah you see I'm not in town tomorrow so I kinda hope that you might take care of her for a while or so. .."

" I'll do it "

Tatsuki was delighted. " Thank you. I owe you one. I'm counting on you."

" no. I'd do it even if you hadn't ask."

" Thanks ichigo "

"I say don't mention it " he had his serious face on and hung up.

Orihime knew Tatsuki was out of town. She knew she was alone for the day. She knew that she's going to have to face it alone someday. So she decided that she would grow up. She packed everything she needed and grabbed her hat when the door bell rang.

" Eeehhh? (( now who could that be? )) Coming! "she opened the door without peeping into the hole again.

" Kurosaki kun? What brings you here? "

" I'll be following you today. "

Orihime was puzzled. " Why? How? "

"Tatsuki."

Orihime thought to herself and nodded. She grabbed what she needed and closed the door behind her.

"I'm ready."

Orihime knelt in front of Sora's grave which put Ichigo in an awkward situation so he decided to join her too. Orihime stayed there for a while then she stood up. She then cleaned her brother's grave and made it look decent again. She knelt back down as seem like she was praying and Ichigo just stared at her. The sunlight hit Orihime's figure which shadowed  
>Sora's grave. And when Orihime stood up, she turned around to face Ichigo. The ray of lights landed on her face.<p>

Her smiling face.

Ichigo can't help but to smile back himself.

Ichigo insisted on taking Orihime to lunch but she turned him down. So Ichigo walked her home instead.

"Get some rest"

"I will. And urm.. Thank you Kurosaki-kun."

Ichigo smiled and turned around waving his hand.

When Ichigo was no longer in sight, Orihime said it again.

"Thank you Kurosaki kun"

Ichigo got home and was greeted with a kick on his face which he easily dodged.

Yuzu smiled. " Dinner will be ready in an hour onii-chan "

Ichigo smiled and nodded and went to his room. He found Rukia laying on his bed reading some manga.

" Are you still reading that manga? I think it's about time you do something useful. "

" This is useful you moron. Eh Ichigo. Can you turn the lights on for me? "

Ichigo stood up and flick the switch and the lights were on. He took his chemistry assignment out and started doodling on a piece of paper.

Orihime took a bath and sat down in front of Sora's picture. She kept her hand together and she started to pray. When she was done. She grab Sora's picture and placed it on her lap and smiled. Tears started dropping onto the frame. She was smiling so hard she didn't even noticed her tears.

" Onii chan, i'm sorrry. But to-today's the only day I-I-I'll get to cry for you so please. Please let me.. "

Orihime gathered the frame to her chest. Holding it close to her heart. It hurt knowing that Sora had left without giving her a hug, he would give her a hug every morning before he goes to work. But she just had to pick a fight with her brother, she just had to pick that day. She felt guilty, very guilty that it was swallowing her whole inside. She wished that she could have turned back time. She wished that she wasn't that stubborn, she wished that she would just have the chance to apologize to him. She wished that she could have that one last hug. The more she thought about it, the more it gets to her, that's why she can't be alone, she makes herself think too much and makes her feel like eating herself. She felt like she was the one who murdered her brother.

All the lights went out and thunder came crashing. Orihime couldn't see anything. She couldn't feel... Anything. The only thing she could feel is… Nothing.

"Aaaaaaaahhhh! "

The lights went out and Isshin quickly rush to his screaming daughter.

" Yuzuuuu!"

"daaadddyyy!"

"wow looks like a storm." Stated Karin.

Rukia was concentrating on her manga until the lights went out, and then she felt something.

She quickly turned to look at Ichigo

And he was already on his feet storming outside.

" Inoue..." said Ichigo.

"Ichi-nii! Where are you...

The door slammed shut before Karin could finish. Isshin got there and only to find a concerned Karin at the door.

Rukia ran down the stairs.

" I sense Inoue's reiatsu growing tense all of the sudden. He must have too. "

" but it's a monster out there! "

Orihime didn't know what to do. She was crying and her heart was beating really hard a second ago and now it feels like her heart wasn't there. All she could think of is

" KUROSAKI-KUN! "

She grabbed onto anything she could find. She grabbed hold of her kitchen table cloth and wrapped it around herself sobbing.

" onii-chan onii-chan onii-chan onii-chan don't leave me alone. Please. Please don't leave me alone! "

" i'm counting on you. "

Ichigo remembered what Tatsuki said.

"Damn it!"

He ran through the storm as fast as he could. He did fell and gain a scratch or two but it was nothing. All he wanted was to get to Orihime! He got to her apartment and the lights were all out and the thunder showed no sign of stopping. He ran up to her door.

" INOUE! Inoue it's me Ichigo! Oi Inoue! "

He could hear her faint sob but Inoue could hear nothing. Nothing but the way she was crying and screaming on the day Sora left.

Ichigo did not hesitate and broke down her door.

He eyed the dark room and found Orihime wrapped up in some cloth under her table crying. Sobbing. Screaming her lungs out.

Ichigo walked slowly towards her and got on his knees.

" She didn't even notice me. "

He looked into her eyes. He saw nothing. Nothing at all. He grab her and pull her into his arms. He grab her head and lay her down on his chest.

He grab her hands. Both of her hands. Tightly, so that maybe. Just maybe. He could snap her out of her nothingness.

"Inoue, oi Inoue, I'm here now. I'm HERE NOW!"

Inoue saw Sora standing there. He smiled at Orihime and turned around. Walking away into the darkness.

"Oniichan… Oniichan! "

She chased after him but he just got further and further away. She ran faster but he just disappeared into the darkness. She didn't stop running. She ran with her eyes closed. She ran as fast as she could. And then she bumped into someone. He was wet. But he was warm. And then she heard him. " Hime-chan, I'm going to hand you over to someone now. Make sure you be good alright? "

"yaadaa yoo onii-chan!"

He patted her head and she opened her eyes.

It wasn't Sora.

It was Kurosaki-kun.

She snapped out of it.

She pull her head backward to face Ichigo.

Ichigo had his eyes closed. His hair all wet. His body all wet. Orihime pulled away to get him a towel or something but Ichigo kept holding her. Orihime couldn't help but fall for the warmness. She couldn't keep her eyes open and she finally doze off.

Ichigo felt Orihime pulling away. He grab onto her even more and swore to himself.

" I'm not letting you go. "

He felt that Orihime has finally calmed down. He waited a bit and looked at her face. The way she looked when she's asleep. Those angelic features. She was even more radiant in the dark. Ichigo felt his heart race. Blood rushing to his face. He held her back into his embrace and lay his head on hers.

Hours past and the storm was over.

Ichigo kept Orihime close to him. As he stood up. He carry her with him. He then realized that Orihime's place was a mess. He planned on going home after tugging Orihime into bed but,

" I cannot leave her here. "

Ichigo scoffed and smiled to himself.

"Ichii nii isn't back yet."

"The storm stopped for a while now."

"I hope nothing bad happened."

"Karin! "

"What? I'm just dead worried ok?"

The doorknob moved. The door opened. Ichigo was standing there with Orihime behind her back.

" Ichii nii! "

Ichigo gave them a weak smile and Isshin went to assist his son. Isshin carried Orihime into a room and was relieved that she was only sleeping.

" well nothing is wrong with her now."

" Onii chan.. your clothes are still wet, you could catch a cold, I'll get you some warm water so get yourself cleaned up "

Ichigo looked at Yuzu and turned his head to face Inoue.

"Ichigo! Do as she say! I'll.. I'll take care of Inoue."

Ichigo nodded and got to his feet.

Ichigo was enjoying his bath. It was relaxing, it was soothing, it was warm.

"just like Inoue…" he then sat up and punched himself. " what the hell was I thinking?"

He got up and wrapped his towel around his waist like any other guy would. He opened the door and Inoue was standing there.

They looked at each other, for a while, and Ichigo swear he could see tomatoes growing on Orihime's face. He then realized that Orihime is standing in front of a half naked teenage boy. Ichigo felt his face go red too and walked to his room. " ah –ahh hahaha Inoue, talk to you later. AH-hahahhah " and slammed the door behind him.

Inoue waited outside Ichigo's room. Trying hard to get rid of her blush. She didn't want Ichigo to find out her feelings towards him. She clears her throat and waits patiently for Ichigo to come out.

Ichigo put on some clothes and got ready to go downstairs, he unlocked his door and there she is again.

" heh? Inoue, you sure like to sneak on people huh? "

" ah! No no no! it's not like that ?Kurosaki-kun! It was just that urm I was you know well you see uem I just wanted to tell you that . THANK YOU! " She closed her eyes and bows at Ichigo.

" EH? Why so formal? What are friends for right? "

Inoue looked up and stared at Ichigo. She couldn't help but smiled and nod her little head.

Ichigo smiled back at her. " I think we should go downstairs. Are you hun-…

Orihime's stomach answered for her and she just laughed out of embarrassment.

Ichigo laughed a bit and lead Orihime downstairs.

" come on. I'm sure Yuzu has something for us. "

Ichigo was on the lower stairs when Orihime decided to kiss his cheeks.

Ichigo looked at her and she was tearing up.

" thank you for holding my hand when I was lonely.

Thank you for holding me tight when I was cold.

Thank you for being there when I was scared.

Thank you for being the one when no one was. "

Ichigo soften his expression just like how he does whenever he looks at Inoue. Once again, Orihime was in his arms. Once again, she felt safe. Once again. Once again. She felt like someone's watching over her. Ichigo held her tight until Isshin came out of his room, he went back in and got the Polaroid his children got him for Father's Day.

-SNAP-

" YOU BASTARD! GIMME THAT CAMERA YOU OLD MAN! "

" NO CAN DO SON!~ OH SEE THE PICTURE IS OUT NOW!~ YUUUZUUU~ "

Inoue looked at both Kurosakis, eagerly wiping away her tears. She couldn't help but put on her silly smile.

-SNAP-

" ah Orihime-chan that was soooo cuuuteeee off yooouuuu… OUCH! "

Ichigo had step on his father's face and snatched the pictures.

He looked at them and turn to look at Orihime. " I'm keeping these. "


End file.
